Spanish Civil War
20-554: Grandes may refer to: Agustín Muñoz Grandes , Spanish general and politician Banksia ser. Grandes , a series of plant species native to Australia Grandes y San Martín , a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain Grandes (islands) , a group of three small islands in the Aegean Sea off the east coast of Crete Grandes (album) , by Maná Topics referred to by
40-552: A "pro-German slant" for Franco who, even in mid-1942, was preoccupied with the general direction and possible outcome of the war. Esteban Infantes was close friend of the Minister of War, General José Enrique Varela , and for several months he had been pressing for a transfer to a combat role with the Blue Division . However, Varela knew that there was only room for one brigade general and therefore Esteban Infantes could only be sent to
60-743: A great military planner especially in more counter-offensive situations that developed on the Eastern Front during 1943. Esteban Infantes faced a major Soviet attempt to break the siege of Leningrad in February 1943, when the 55th Soviet Army , reinvigorated after the Soviet victory at Stalingrad , attacked the Spanish positions at the Battle of Krasny Bor , near the main Moscow-Leningrad road. Despite heavy casualties,
80-620: A result, he was sentenced to death in absentia by the Republican government. During the war, he held various major military appointments including chief of general staff of the Castillian Army Corps during the Brunete offensive in July 1937 and the subsequent Battle of Teruel between December 1937 and February 1938. He then took over as colonel in command of the 5th Division of Navarre and received
100-619: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Agust%C3%ADn Mu%C3%B1oz Grandes World War II Agustín Muñoz Grandes (27 January 1896 – 11 July 1970) was a Spanish general, and politician , vice-president of the Spanish Government and minister with Francisco Franco several times; also known as the commander of the Blue Division between 1941 and 1942. Born in Carabanchel Bajo on 27 January 1896, Muñoz Grandes enrolled at
120-767: The Spanish Armed Forces ) in 1958. He served as Deputy Prime Minister of Spain from 1962 to 1967. In this capacity he advised Franco to enter the Vietnam War in order to gain better relations with the United States ; however, Franco was reluctant to publicly support the war or the United States, and ultimately only several teams of medical personnel were sent, covertly. Muñoz Grandes died in 1970. His wife Maria died in 1989. Emilio Esteban Infantes Emilio Esteban-Infantes Martín (18 May 1892 – 6 September 1962)
140-576: The Toledo Infantry Academy where his classmates included Francisco Franco and Juan Yagüe . Graduating in 1910, he was commissioned as a lieutenant and was sent to join the Spanish African Army in Morocco . In 1912, at only 20 years of age, he received a meritorious promotion to captain during combat activity in the prolonged Rif War which lasted from 1909 to 1927. By 1928 he had achieved
160-711: The Toledo Infantry Academy while in his teens. Upon graduating, he was deployed to Morocco in 1915 and in 1925 took part in the decisive Battle of Alhucemas . Muñoz Grandes fought for the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War and was promoted to General , taking command in the Army of Africa . He led the Spanish Legionnaries in the conquest of Málaga by the Nationalists in February 1937. In 1941, Muñoz Grandes
180-732: The Iron Cross , with Oak Leaves personally added by Hitler. He was recalled to Spain in December 1942. A promotion to Lieutenant General awaited him at home, and his post on the Eastern Front was taken up by Emilio Esteban Infantes . Muñoz Grandes was appointed Captain General of I Military District in 1945, Minister of the Army in 1951 and Chief of the Defence High Command (chief of staff of
200-704: The Military Medal for his contribution to the ultimate success and victory of the Nationalist forces. In May 1940, a year after the civil war had ended, he was promoted to brigadier-general in command of the Army General Staff of Morocco and Military Region IV. After Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union in June 1941, Franco's government authorized the dispatch of a volunteer Spanish division under
220-550: The Spaniards were able to hold their ground against a Russian force seven times larger and supported by tanks. The assault was contained and the siege of Leningrad was maintained for a further year. This victory established the reputation of Esteban Infantes both with his own soldiers and with the German general staff. The commander of 18th Army, Generaloberst Georg Lindemann , came to visit him and to congratulate him on this great feat. He
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#1732848863000240-623: The command over to Oberst Antonio García Navarro. He then returned to Spain in December 1943, where he was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of Military Region IX. After the war he occupied various posts including president of the Supreme Council of Military Justice, commander of the VII Military Region and head of Franco's military household before finishing his career as Chief of Central General Staff . He published his memoirs in 1958: "Blue Division: Spanish Volunteers in
260-643: The overall command of the German Wehrmacht. This became the 250th Infantry Division (popularly known "Blue Division"), initially commanded by General Agustín Muñoz Grandes . The division was deployed within Army Group North under the overall command of Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb , and engaged in several battles against the Red Army near Leningrad . However, despite being popular with his soldiers, Muñoz Grandes behavior began to show too much of
280-582: The rank of Generalmajor and with the military oath being administered directly to Hitler at the Berghof . In December 1942, Esteban Infantes formally took command of the Blue Division. He faced a difficult situation replacing such a legendary and popular commander as Muñoz Grandes. The German generals also initially considered him to be too anglophile in his outlook but Esteban Infantes soon won their respect as he began to demonstrate his considerable skill as
300-625: The rank of lieutenant colonel and in that year, following the end of the Moroccan war, was appointed a professor at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza by its new director, General Francisco Franco. He was in Madrid on 17 July 1936 when the military insurrection against the Republican government began and had to quickly escape to Burgos , where he joined the Nationalist forces under Franco. As
320-501: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Grandes . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grandes&oldid=894979376 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
340-518: The war zone in the Soviet Union as the commander of the division. The issue was finally resolved by Franco, who knew him well as a former colleague at both the Toledo and Zaragoza Academies. Franco viewed Esteban Infantes as a more moderate and diplomatic option compared to the more controversial Muñoz Grandes. Consequently, Esteban Infantes was dispatched to Germany where he was inducted into the Wehrmacht with
360-564: Was a Spanish officer who served during the Spanish Civil War , and later in World War II as commander of the Blue Division ( Spanish : División Azul , German : Blaue Division ), or the 250th Infantry Division of the German Wehrmacht . He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany . Infantes was born in Toledo on 18 May 1892. In 1907, aged 15, he entered
380-568: Was given command of the División Azul , Generalísimo Franco's volunteer unit created for service under the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front , against the Soviet Union . Muñoz Grandes was well acquainted with the Nazi German military establishment, and attended several interviews with Wilhelm Canaris and Adolf Hitler . During his command Muñoz Grandes was decorated with the Knight's Cross of
400-502: Was promoted to Generalleutnant and awarded the German Cross in Gold . On 3 October 1943 he was finally also awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . After this, due to the course that the war was taking, Franco decided to withdraw the Blue Division and replace it with the smaller Blue Legion . Esteban Infantes was responsible for the establishment of this smaller unit before handing
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